On Wednesday September 4, Bea Tucker, a pro-Palestine student activist at the Australian National University in Canberra, had their expulsion overturned by the university appeals committee.
Tucker had been expelled by ANU for supporting the right of Palestinians to armed resistance – a right guaranteed under international law – in an interview with the ABC earlier this year.
In the interview Tucker stated, “Hamas deserves our unconditional support… Not because I agree with their strategy, [I’m in] complete disagreement with that.”
After their expulsion was overturned, Tucker released a statement where they condemned the complicity of the ANU and other universities in the slaughter of Palestinians:
“At campuses across the country, students have faced disciplinary action for speaking out to Free Palestine and for taking action against the genocide in Gaza.
University administrations have been willing to violate their own commitment to free speech in their efforts to silence students and staff who oppose the genocide, and demand that university administrations cuts ties with the Israeli apartheid state.”
Tucker reiterated that oppressed people have a right to resist occupation, as recognised under international law, and the hypocrisy of their expulsion. They also spoke to the recent Student General Meeting for Palestine at USyd where over 600 students voted “almost unanimously, to recognise Palestinians’ right to armed resistance against occupation.”
Tucker continued, “The ICJ decision declaring Israel’s occupation unlawful, further highlights that it is imperative that university administrations ensure they are not complicit with genocide and the Israeli apartheid state.
Four months ago I was suspended, then recklessly expelled. Yet after almost a year of genocide and more than 5 months of the ANU’s ties with Israel being public, the ANU has not expelled its connections with institutions that are complicit in Israel’s genocide in Gaza”.
An open letter opposing the expulsion was signed by 1200 people, including many university staff and students at the ANU and around the country.
In a statement, SSAW ANU said, “We are very pleased that Tucker’s expulsion has been overturned, but very critical that they were suspended and excluded in the first place.
SSAW hopes that the ANU will uphold its commitment to free speech on the campus.”
Throughout the year, the University of Melbourne has used controversial methods of surveillance, tracking students’ phones to determine their participation in the occupation of Mahmoud’s Hall – an action done to demand the University cuts ties with genocide. They subsequently threatened students it found to have participated in the occupation with suspension and expulsion.
Similarly at University of Sydney, students are being threatened with suspension for a peaceful sit-in protesting Tel Aviv University’s presence at an exchange fair in March, while multiple students were suspended for making announcements in lectures about the university’s links to weapons companies.
Students Against War (SAW) have organised two protests in the coming weeks to fight USyd’s ties with Israel. On Tuesday September 17, Vice-Chancellor Mark Scott is inviting undergraduate STEM students to the “Faculty of Science Industry Networking Night” where weapons manufacturers like Thales and aviation company MicroTau will be present. Government body Australian Nuclear Science Technology Organisation (ANTSO), who is integral to the roll-out of the nuclear submarines part of the AUKUS military pact, will also be present at the networking night.
On Thursday September 19, SAW will also be protesting Mark Scott during his live podcast recording at the Women’s College where he is slated to talk about how “liberalism may be the source of your soul.” Scott recently cancelled an appearance on the ‘Difficult Conversations’ podcast that was set to include a live Q&A section after SAW planned to protest outside and ask questions inside.
